Hale To The Chief

Don Hale, a wire service reporter for United Press International, went on to an award-winning career establishing nationally recognized innovative and creative public relations programs as a VP at Carnegie Mellon, the University of Texas, and Georgia State.

His recollection from his days on the bench, although creative, weren’t as successful.

Hale: “I was a shitty high school basketball player. Our team was so bad. I played center although I was 6'0". The highlight of my high school career came at Wissahickon High School when I finally got a start.

We had a play the coach called the "Wooden Indian." I would get the ball in the foul circle, and the guards, would cut off me. Because I sucked, I was expected to pass the ball. So, at Wissahickon we somehow captured the opening jump. We went down and set up. The guard passed it to me and I had the bright idea of surprising my 6'4" defender by faking the pass and turning to nail a jumper.

He wasn't surprised. He slammed the ball back over my head, and one of their guards picked it up and went in for a layup. The home bleachers stood and roared in unison. I spent the rest of the game, and most of the season for that matter, back in my well-earned spot on the pine.